PA TV verbally attacks PMW: "PMW is an extremist Zionist NGO with teams that work around the clock"

Itamar Marcus
|
Jul 20, 2018

PA TV verbally attacks PMW:

"[PMW is] an extremist Zionist NGO

with teams that work around the clock...

[and] runs propaganda campaigns

against the Palestinian leadership"

Damaged by many PMW reports, PA TV launched a verbal attack against PMW

PA TV rebroadcast a translated feature story from Israeli TV about PMW and its international impact, as "proof" that PMW is running "propaganda campaigns against the Palestinian leadership"

By Itamar Marcus

The Palestinian Authority is once again verbally attacking Palestinian Media Watch for the damage PMW is causing them in Israel and internationally. This time, PA TV told its viewers that PMW "is an extremist Zionist NGO" that "runs propaganda campaigns against the Palestinian leadership."

In describing what PMW does to collect its material, they said "former intelligence officers in the occupation army who work at PMW... work around the clock in order to monitor the Palestinian media outlets... They even watch cooking programs on PA TV." [PA TV, July 7 and July 9, 2018]

Earlier this year the PA Ministry of Information attacked PMW saying the "wild incitement campaign that Palestinian Media Watch is waging against the radio station The Voice of Palestine, projects on the other." The Information Ministry said "the repeated claims of the Israeli center [PMW] are part of the deceptive Zionist discourse."

[PA Ministry of Information website, Jan. 24, 2018, emphasis added]

The director general of official Palestinian radio also attacked PMW earlier this year:

"Director-General of The Voice of Palestine Bassam Daghlas said that 'The incitement campaign that the Israeli center Palestinian Media Watch is waging against The Voice of Palestine radio station is not the first case, as it has been subject to similar attacks in the past.'"

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 25, 2018]

The following is the text of the recent PA TV broadcast followed by PA TV's translation and rebroadcast of Israeli television channel 20's recent feature story on PMW:

Official PA TV host:

"They [PMW staff] even watch cooking programs on PA TV, and monitor everything that is published in the Palestinian newspapers. They are former intelligence officers in the occupation army who work at the Palestinian Media Watch center. This is an extremist Zionist NGO with teams that work around the clock in order to monitor the Palestinian media outlets, and is located in occupied Jerusalem. In fact, this organization runs propaganda campaigns against the Palestinian leadership. The Zionist organization receives funding from bodies that are affiliated with the Israeli right. It defines itself as an Israeli research institute that broadly researches Palestinian society by monitoring and analyzing the Palestinian media outlets and school books. The following translated report [from Israeli TV] will show the work method of this organization, which strives to defame the Palestinians."

Israeli TV reporter:

"In their office in Jerusalem they are waging the battle against the PA's incitement. The Palestinian Media Watch staff has received new information today about the PA's aid to the family of the terrorist who murdered [Israeli soldier] Ronen Lyubarsky..."

PMW Director Itamar Marcus:

"Ronen Lyubarsky's murderer is from the Abu Hmeid family. He is one of 10 sons, and all of them have been in prison. This family has received millions of shekels from the PA, and each month they are receiving tens of thousands of shekels in salaries."

Israeli TV reporter:

"The work day starts with reading the PA's newspapers. Then the institute's researchers move on to searching through Facebook and Twitter pages, and watching the Palestinian TV's programs - all in order to find another incitement video, a school named after a terrorist, or study material that encourages terror attacks and reveals the PA's true face."

PMW translation of Fatah official Jibril Rajoub:

"These are individual acts of bravery, and I am proud of them. I am proud of them. I congratulate everyone who carried them out. I say to you, we are proud of you."

PMW Director Itamar Marcus:

"We submitted a complaint to the police against Jibril Rajoub three months ago, as we believe that for many years there has been a serious mistake in the way terror is fought, in that we have only been punishing the terrorists themselves, or those who directly sent them, but not the leaders, who have encouraged terrorism, directed terrorism, and in fact lauded terrorism."

Israeli TV reporter:

"The Palestinian Media Watch research institute has existed for 21 years. Most of the employees are former Israeli military intelligence members or were born in Arab countries..."

PMW researcher Meira:

"We watch the morning programs, news, children's programs, even cooking programs. We watch all of the TV because anything could pop up even in an insignificant program."

Israeli Channel 20 reporter:

"Among the battles the institute is leading is stopping the payment of salaries to terrorists. The institute's exposés on the topic have led to an international uproar..."

PMW Head of Legal Strategies Maurice Hirsch:

"We are the organization that first exposed the PA's policy of paying salaries to terrorists. Today we are continuing the battle against this practice, working with both the international community in parliaments around the world, and in the Israeli Parliament."

Israeli Channel 20 reporter:

"The research institute cooperates with members of parliaments around the world, who are supplied with the materials needed to defend Israel, and to prove who is the real obstacle to peace."